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David Cameron ‘let down’ by Theresa May

I couldn’t help smiling upon reading one of today’s news items that has just come to my attention. It is titled: “David Cameron ‘let down’ by Theresa May, says former PM aide”. The article begins: “Former PM David Cameron felt “badly let down” by Theresa May during the EU referendum campaign, his former director of communications has said. Sir Craig Oliver, a former key aide to Mr Cameron, said the then home secretary failed to back the Remain campaign 13 times and was regarded by some as “an enemy agent”. He also said Boris Johnson believed the Leave campaign would be “crushed”.”

I tend to find, irrespective of what goes on behind “closed doors”, the truth usually comes out in due course, when what really took place and peoples’ true motives are revealed. As far as Mr. Cameron was concerned, he gambled and lost. In the circumstances, he was pushed into a corner and had no option other than to call for the EU Referendum. I have reflected on his approach in earlier blogs, which pulled out all the stops to win over a wavering British public, and at worse was condescending, and the public took note, seeing through it. I have little doubt that if he had foreseen the surprise outcome, he would have adopted entirely different tactics, including not holding the referendum, but it was not to be, and he did, many might argue, the honourable thing, by standing down as Prime Minister, making way for the one who had let him down to take over.

There is a feeling that both Theresa May and Boris Johnson looked beyond the EU Referendum and to their own political futures, and their approaches were calculated ones. As far as I can see, the jury is still out concerning motivation, but such is my faith in those at the top of the political tree, I would not be surprised if self-interest, however this is couched, did come into it. As always, there are winners and losers. Clearly Mrs. May was the winner and Mr. Cameron was the loser and, as for Boris, he came somewhere in-between, for while not getting the top job he hoped for, he got the job if I were a politician I would want most – Foreign Secretary. Meanwhile we wait with interest for further revelations and with concern what post Brexit Britain is going to look like. Political shenanigans aside, the stakes remain high, for lives are affected.